My name is Amber and I’m a pre-nursing student applying to programs this fall. I’ve always been fascinated by medicine in general, particularly how the psychological and physiological aspects of illness interact. I initially became interested in the opioid crisis after volunteering as an EMT in sobering centers in the city, and through knowing people in my own life who have struggled with addiction. The realities of addiction are complex and often frustrating, and I know firsthand how difficult it can be to make sense of the factors that lead an individual, let alone hundreds of thousands of individuals, to become dependent on substances. Oftentimes, these individuals grapple with concurrent issues such as mental health issues, housing insecurities, and past traumas. Having watched how these issues can feed an addiction and vice-versa, I'm aware of how this vicious cycle entraps sufferers of addiction. These issues are difficult to untangle but it is essential to try, and as I've gotten more educated about the opioid crisis I've become more determined as a nurse to make a positive difference for those who struggle with addictions.
Although I only decided on pursuing nursing recently, I have always been interested in addiction medicine. While working on my bachelor’s in biology, I took several classes on the opioid crisis and on substance abuse. Through that coursework, I became aware of the sheer magnitude of the current opioid epidemic and how insidious opioid addiction can be for individuals and communities. The fact that the crisis is still accelerating only highlights how important it is to understand not only why so many people are falling into addiction, but also how best to help these people recover. I chose the opioid crisis as my field of interest because, having known people addicted to substances, I believe they deserve both empathy as individuals and serious epidemiological study as a population group. I hope that as a nurse, I can involve myself in addiction medicine and help those who suffer from opioid abuse directly. Before then, I want to educate myself on the opioid crisis as much as possible, not only so I can better empathize with my future patients but so that I can understand the societal context in which their addictions developed. |